Fighting Wings System

[Pern Wars]

Fighting Wings

Queens' Wing
As mentioned below, the Queens' Wing is also known as the “Low Wing”. This Wing is for the Queens of the Weyr.

• Who can be in the Queens' Wing?
The Queens' Wing only forms when there are enough mature Queens in the Weyr. When there are enough this Wing is open not only to Queens but also to any Dragon who's Rider is female and pregnant. Since we has Non-Queen Clutchers, this will also include future Non-Queen Clutches who are expecting but unable to fly with their normal Wing.

• Why not anyone else?
The Queens' Wing is a Sweep Wing, they fly the lowest and must gather any stray clumps or strands from the Wings above. A Dragon able to fly is more useful in the Wings above than below. Also the potential of injury via dragon flame is higher, as their range is much farther than that of a flamethrower. No one will willingly endanger the Weyr's Queens.

Weyrleader's Wing
The Weyrleader's Wing is the Rider of the Dragon who caught the Weyrwoman's/Regent's Queen. The Weyrleader's Wing is also known as the “High Wing”.

• How is the Weyrleader's Wing decided?
Due to the game of chance, any eligible male Dragon can catch the Weyrwoman's/Regent's Queen and become Weyrleader. When this happens there is a shift in the Wings. No matter that Rider's previous station in the Wing, once they become Weyrleader they are made Wingleader of their Wing and that Wingleader made Wingsecond.

• Why not give them a new Wing?
While in theory, this sounds like a good idea. In actuality this is asking for trouble. Why? The main reason is because the next time the Queen rises, that doesn't mean the same male will catch her. That in turn means that the Rider who is Wingleader and with their own Wing may not be Weyrleader again. Why waste the time on forming a new Wing that involves everyone getting use to each other all over again, when that Rider is known to their original Wing? That familiarity is important. A functioning Wing doesn't need to be messed with, and as any Rider can lead their Wing due to the chain of command system, it makes sense that the original Wing would still work under one of their Riders becoming Wingleader.

• What if the Weyrleader changes and is of a different Wing?
If Weyrleadership changes, whether in the same or different Wing, the original chain of command returns. That means if they were not Wingleader originally they go back to their former position. If they were Wingleader originally then their Wing stays as is.

Weyrsecond's Wing
The Weyrsecond is the Rider of the Dragon who caught the Jr. Weyrwoman/Weyrman's Queen. This indeed means there can be more one Weyrsecond. When there is they revert to the title Jr. Weyrleader. The Weyrseconds' Wing depends highly on certain circumstance. If those circumstances are met then the Weyrsecond leads a Wing with the other Wings known as the “Middle Wing(s)”.

• How is the Weyrsecond's Wing decided?
Due to the game of chance, any eligible male Dragon can catch the Jr. Weyrwoman's/Weyrman's Queen and become Weyrsecond. No matter that Rider's previous station in the Wing, once they become Weyrsecond there are a number of things that may happen. If they are in the same Wing as the Weyrleader, they will be made Wingsecond, the original Wingleader (not the Weyrleader) will be made Wingthird. If they are of a different Wing, they will be made Wingleader of that Wing.

• Why not give them a new Wing?
The same reasons as stated for Weyrleader applies here for the Weyrsecond.
What if the Weyrsecond changes and is of a different Wing?
The same reasons as stated for Weyrleader applies here for the Weyrsecond.

Weyrlings' Wing
The Weyrlings' Wing is as titled, this Wing is formed when Weyrlings of a Clutch are of age to fly together as a group. Gaining the experience of the system and functions of a Wing before they are put into the Fighting Wings.

• Who can be in the Weyrlings' Wing?
The only individuals able to be part of the Weyrlings' Wing is the Weyrlingmaster, Assistants Weyrlingmaster, and Weyrlings of the previous clutch that had hatched.

• How does Wing ranks work?
There can be many Weyrlingmasters and Assistants. When a Weyr is at their proper cap of Queens during a Pass, there will be many Weyrling groups. These Weyrling groups are assigned a Weyrlingmaster and their Assistant. When that happens the Weyrlingmaster automatically gains the position of Wingleader, as their Assistant automatically gains the position of Wingsecond. The position of Wingthird is any pair that they Weyrlingmaster sees with great potential as a future leader in one of the Wings, or even possibly their own. Allowing them leader experience, which will be considered by the Weyrleaders and Wingleaders.

• What if there is a Queen in the group?
As this can and will happen, things only change slightly. If there is indeed a Queen in the Weyrling group, they do not automatically gain Wingthird because of that. No, that still only qualifies for a pair other than a Queen pair with leader potential. Queen pairs will gain such experience within the Queens' Wing as the position of rank in their Wing constantly changes.  

[Pern Wars]

Wings of Southern

Eamane Weyr
Spring Wing | Weyrlings' Wing
Summer Wing | Weyrsecond's Wing
Fall Wing | Queens's Wing
Winter Wing | Weyrleader's Wing

Ancalime Weyr
Plains Wing | Weyrlings' Wing
Forest Wing | Weyrsecond's Wing
Tundra Wing | Queens's Wing
Mountain Wing | Weyrleader's Wing

 

[Pern Wars]

The Roles of Ranking Dragonriders

Flightleader
A flightleader is selected by the Weyrleader with input from the Weyrwoman. A flightleader is a wingleader who, in addition to his wingleader duties, also oversees all three Wings in his particular Flight. In normal weather conditions, only one Flight meets each Threadfall. Every Flight has its own leader who is in charge of tactics during the 'Fall unless the Weyrleader himself chooses to take command. The flightleader also coordinates and oversees flightdrills, and is responsible for reporting on the performance of his Wing and the Flight as a whole to the Weyrleader. There is no "Flightleader Second". In the event that the flightleader is injured or killed, one of the other two wingleaders becomes flightleader. A decision is made in advance as to which wingleader is senior to the other in terms of who takes over first.

Wingleader
A wingleader is a bronzerider who leads a Wing of riders, and he is selected by the Weyrleader. A wingleader's responsibilities includes overseeing the health of his wingriders and their dragons, the on-going evaluation of each wingpair's performance and of the performance of the overall Wing, the overall discipline of the Wing, the course of wingdrills and additional flight practices, and the reporting of all patrol and watch findings of his wingriders to the Weyrleader. He ensures that his wingriders are ready to go and fully stocked with firestone prior to 'Fall, reports readiness to flightleader, and coordinates positioning of wingriders, and tactics to be used for the day's Threadfall (coordinated with other two wingleaders under the final authority of the flightleader). He is responsible for individual discipline of wingriders, subject to the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman. He recruits graduated weyrlings to his Wing in coordination with other wingleaders and the Weyrleader. The wingleader is held directly responsible for the performance of his Wing, and wingleaders are promoted and demoted by the Weyrleader. If requested, a wingleader will also act as a diplomatic liaison for the Weyr, if and when the Weyrleader, Weyrwoman, or a goldrider are unable to do so. A wingleader's rank within a Weyr is comparable to that of the modern captain of a combat troop.

Wingsecond
Wingseconds, in addition to the duties required of all mature dragonriders, act as lieutenants to the Wingleader, doing whatever tasks he assigns to them. These duties will include (but not be limited to) the ongoing evaluation of the Wing's riders and overall wingstrength, Wing discipline, overseeing wingriders in assignments, and the organization and management of wingriders in practice drills. Basically, the wingseconds are the arms, eyes, and ears of their wingleader. They are also ready to step in as Wingleader immediately if the Wingleader is injured or killed in fall. There are always two wingseconds in each wing, a senior and a junior. The senior wingsecond takes over first and if he is injured as well, then the junior wingsecond takes over. In the military organization of the Weyr, a wingsecond is comparable in rank and authority to a sergeant-in-arms; wingseconds are promoted and demoted by their wingleader, with the Weyrleader's approval.